Support
Solar Spotter is designed to just work — but if you need a hand, you're in the right place.
How does Solar Spotter work?
Solar Spotter uses your phone's GPS and compass to calculate the sun's exact position in real time. It then shows you the optimal direction and tilt angle to position your solar panels for maximum power output — no internet required.
Do I need mobile signal to use the app?
No. Core features like the solar compass, sun position tracking, and panel angle calculations all work completely offline using GPS and on-device math. Weather data and forecasts require a connection, but the app gracefully handles offline mode.
What devices are supported?
Solar Spotter is available on iOS and Android. On iPhone, it requires iOS 16 or later and works on all models with a compass sensor (iPhone 6s and newer). On Android, it requires Android 7.0 (Nougat) or later with a compass/magnetometer sensor. AR features require ARKit support on iPhone (SE 2nd gen and newer).
Solar Spotter requests only the permissions it needs to function. Here's what each one does and why:
Location (While Using App)
Required to calculate the sun's position at your exact coordinates. Used for solar azimuth/altitude calculations and weather data. Your location is processed on-device and never stored on our servers.
Motion & Compass
Powers the real-time solar compass. The app reads your device heading so it can show the optimal panel direction and tilt for your charge window — based on your spot, the sun's path today, and the conditions ahead.
Camera (Optional — Pro)
Only used for AR Panel Alignment mode. The camera feed is processed entirely on-device to overlay tilt guides on your panels. No images are captured or stored.
What's included in Pro?
Pro is a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees. It unlocks:
How do I restore my purchase on a new device?
Go to Settings in the app and tap "Restore Purchases". On iPhone, this uses your Apple ID. On Android, this uses your Google Play account. No receipt or code needed — just make sure you're signed into the same account you used to purchase.
I purchased Pro but it's not showing. What do I do?
First, try "Restore Purchases" in Settings. If that doesn't work, make sure you're signed into the same Apple ID or Google Play account you used to purchase. If you're still having trouble, contact us below and we'll sort it out.
Can I transfer my purchase between iPhone and Android?
Unfortunately, purchases made through the App Store and Google Play are managed by Apple and Google respectively, and cannot be transferred between platforms. If you switch platforms, you would need to purchase Pro again on the new platform.
How does the Trip Planner work?
Build a multi-stop trip by adding each upcoming stop with its location and your planned arrival. For every stop, Trip Planner shows the solar forecast — cloud, temperature, conditions — day by day, so you can pick the camp that's actually going to charge before you commit the drive. Add per-stop notes (highlights, lowlights, the little details future you will thank you for). Trips you've completed go into an archive you can rate and refer back to next time.
When I tap the map button, does Solar Spotter send my trip data anywhere?
No. The map button opens your platform's native Maps app — Apple Maps on iPhone, Google Maps on Android — using a URL the app constructs entirely on your device. Solar Spotter does not transmit any of your trip data to Apple, Google, or any third party as part of this handoff. Only the destination coordinates you've already added to your trip are passed through the operating system to open the Maps app. Once the Maps app is open, your interaction with it is governed by Apple's or Google's privacy policy, not ours. See our Privacy Policy for the full detail.
Where is my trip data stored?
On your device only. Trips, stops, per-stop notes, highlights/lowlights, and your trip archive are all stored locally on your phone. They are not synced to any cloud, never sent to our servers, and not shared with any third party. If you uninstall the app, your trips are removed with it — there is no backup for us to restore from.
Does the Trip Planner work offline?
Yes, for the trip data itself — your stops, notes, and archive are stored on your device and remain available without a connection. The solar forecast at each stop requires an internet connection to fetch fresh weather data; if the app can't reach the weather service for a stop, you'll see an offline banner for that stop's forecast card. Plan ahead and load your trip with signal before heading bush.
How does the Daily Battery Tracker work?
Tell the app your current battery charge percentage and what your gear is drawing right now. Solar Spotter uses the live solar forecast for your spot, your panel + battery profile, and the hours of light + dark ahead to project where you'll land at sundown and whether you'll make it through to sunrise. It refreshes every 15 minutes alongside the weather snapshot, so as conditions change through the day, your projection updates with them.
How accurate is the sunrise survival check?
The projection is built from the numbers you give it (current charge, current draw) plus your saved panel + battery profile and the live weather. It's intended as an honest planning tool — the more accurate your draw estimate, the more accurate the projection. Real-world variation (fridge cycling, an extra light left on, an unexpected cloud bank) will move the actual result, which is why the readout refreshes every 15 minutes rather than pretending to be a fixed prediction. Treat it as a survival check, not a stopwatch.
Does the Battery Tracker run in the background?
No. Solar Spotter doesn't run in the background or take a background location permission, which keeps battery use and data collection to zero when the app isn't open. The Battery Tracker recomputes when you open the app or when the 15-minute weather refresh fires while you have the app in focus. Pop in for a quick check whenever you want to know where things are headed.
Where are my Battery Tracker inputs stored?
On your device only. The current charge and current draw you enter are stored locally for your active session and recent history. They are not transmitted to our servers and not shared with any third party. See our Privacy Policy for the full detail.
What is Battery Bluetooth?
Pair Solar Spotter with your battery's built-in monitor (its battery management system, or BMS) over Bluetooth and the live state-of-charge feeds straight into the Daily Battery Tracker — sundown projection and sunrise survival check both run on a live reading instead of a manual percentage you typed in. Once paired, you don't have to think about it: reconnection happens silently when you're back in range.
How does the app tell charging from draining?
Your battery's built-in monitor reports the net current at the terminal — positive when something's pushing amps in (solar, your DC-DC, mains charger, any combination), negative when something's drawing them out (your fridge, lights, inverter loads). Solar Spotter reads this directly, so charging and draining never get conflated. The sundown projection stays honest whether you're driving in with the DC-DC running, parked under blue sky, or overnight running the fridge and lights.
Which batteries are supported?
Two BMS families are supported in this BETA: JBD (covers a large cluster of lithium battery brands including LiTime, Fogstar, iTechworld, Power Queen, Photonic Universe, KickAss, Supervolt and more) and JK BMS (modern hardware version 11 or later only). If your battery's companion app talks to it over Bluetooth and isn't a vendor-cloud-only setup, there's a good chance the BMS sits inside one of these families — give it a try.
How do I pair my battery?
Open the battery sheet from the main screen, tap "Connect via Bluetooth", then "Scan & connect". Your phone will show a picker of nearby Bluetooth devices — choose your battery. First time only: iOS may ask for Bluetooth permission, and on some iPhones you'll need to enable "Allow new devices" in Settings → Bluetooth before your battery appears. After that, reconnecting is one tap on the Battery Bluetooth badge.
Does Battery Bluetooth work in the background?
No. Solar Spotter reads your battery while the app is open. When you re-open the app and you're in range, the connection re-establishes silently. On some Android phones (Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus) the OS aggressively pauses Bluetooth for backgrounded apps — re-opening the app refreshes the connection.
What's stored on my device?
Only the live readings, a rolling 7-day draw history (timestamp + watts only), an active-trip discharge total in amp-hours, and the obfuscated device identifier for your paired battery. No location is attached to any of it, and none of it is transmitted to our servers or any third party. See our Privacy Policy for the full breakdown.
Why is it marked BETA?
We've live-tested Battery Bluetooth on iTechworld hardware. The other brands listed use the same BMS family and should work, but we haven't field-tested every model on every phone yet. If your readings look wrong, tap "Report a Bluetooth issue" in the pairing sheet — it composes an email with the diagnostic info we need to fix it.
The compass seems inaccurate or jittery
Try calibrating your device compass by moving your phone in a figure-8 pattern. Also ensure you're not near strong magnetic sources (speakers, magnets, some car mounts). The app will prompt you to calibrate if readings seem off.
Weather data isn't loading
Weather requires an internet connection. If you're in an area with intermittent signal, the app will use cached data when available. Pull down to refresh when you regain connectivity.
The sun position doesn't seem right
Make sure Location Services are enabled for Solar Spotter. On iPhone: Settings → Privacy → Location Services. On Android: Settings → Apps → Solar Spotter → Permissions → Location. The calculations are highly accurate but depend on a good GPS fix — give the app a moment to lock your position, especially indoors.
We're a small team and we read every message. Drop us a line and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can.
We typically respond within 24–48 hours.